One day, my aunt was visiting from out of state and took a quick tour of my backyard. Upon seeing the mango tree, she lit up and asked to harvest some of the leaves for tea. I knew all about the mango fruit and at least fifty different ways to use it since I grew up with a heavy dose of Caribbean culture, but this was the first time I ever heard of mango leaf tea. What could those long thick leaves be good for?
It turns out mango leaves have many benefits depending on how it is prepared.* Fresh or dried leaves boiled in water for a 10-15 minutes with a little bit of honey added is said to be good for respiratory issues like if you have a cold or congestion, or your voice is hoarse. It is also good for lowering blood pressure.
The younger leaves are good for diabetes and managing blood glucose levels. Mango leaves also contain a lot of Vitamin C which helps with immunity, and Vitamin E which makes skin and hair look better as well as regulating certain hormones. Not to mention it has anti-inflammatory properties which prevent a host of ailments, including cancer.
As a matter of fact mango leaves (and the other parts of the tree) have been a part of Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. When I asked my aunt what it was good for she just said “Oh everything,” which seemed really vague at the time. Now that I’ve looked into it, she was right in the sense that mango leaves help with so many health issues, there are no side effects, and if you wanted a good general healthy tea, mango leaf tea fits the bill.
After reading all about it, you know I had to try it for myself. I marched into the backyard, picked a few leaves (which surprisingly smelled good, like peeled green mangos) and boiled them up. I poured a steaming cup into my mug and took a sip. It tasted the way green mangos smelled combined with the flavor of green tea. I drank it just fine, but next time I would probably mix it with something else, maybe lemongrass.
I drink green tea all the time so I could see how this might be a good alternative now and then. I don’t have any health problems so I couldn’t tell you if it fixed anything, but what I can say is that today I learned about one more plant that can be added to my small knowledge of plant medicine. Hopefully, you did too.
* This article is not intended for medical use. If you have a health problem see a medical professional.
** Some of the links above may be affiliate links. I promote these products because I use them in my own life and highly recommend them. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
